I have a great many friends who fish tournaments and I’ll
fish a couple of them this year. But for me, not for everyone, but for me I
just don’t think I enjoy it very much. Maybe to the onlooker it seems I don’t
have a competitive drive. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I think the true reasoning is I am
finally discovering balance. I think my competitiveness is what is driving me
away from tournament fishing. Allow me to explain.

When I tournament fish, I can get obsessive. I pre-fish, I
study maps, I make calls, I information gather and I try to find any advantage
I can. That takes a lot of time. Notice how many I’s were in that statement
(8)? It takes time away from my family, from my friends and something else. It
takes away the joy I get from fishing. Nobody should burden themselves to the
point of worry and grief. Especially not for a hobby.

I don’t want to chase a winning high. In tournaments, you
rarely ever see the same guy winning every event. If I am not winning then a stellar, memorable
day on the water could leave me with questions, agony and angst. I’m not a rich
man so fishing tournaments for fun is like throwing away money to do it all the
time. I’d rather just buy more accessories to try out than flush $50 into a winner’s
pocket. That being said I’ll be fishing two tournaments this year. The first
will be at Fork on March 23. I love that lake and a lot of my good friends and
my brother will be fishing it with me. I’ll have a great day regardless of final
standings.

The other tournament is Kayak Wars. It’s not even a true
tourney, no money is at stake and it’s at my leisure. So ok, maybe one and a
half tournaments.

I thought in January I would fish 6 or maybe 8 and it was
even in my goals but I’ve had to change directions. I feel like I am more
valuable at home and on the website than trying to win a couple hundred
dollars.

I enjoy being at weigh-ins at the ends of tournaments,
chatting with everyone but usually, I
don’t have a great time while fishing. I can’t turn the switch off. If a prize
is at stake, it’s hard to stop and enjoy the day.

What I do enjoy is fishing, trying out new things in the
kayak fishing world and talking about what’s good and what’s …well, not.

Best of luck to you tourney guys out there but for 2013, I’m
going to lay low, put up some Kayak Wars points when I can and try to churn out
some content and product reviews.

Always looking to push the limits, Chad Hoover of HOOK1 and
Kayak Bass Fishing may have out done himself already in 2013.

Set to start on March 14, 2013, the Kayak Bass Fishing Open
and the Kayak Bass Fishing Invitational following is assumed to be the largest
freshwater kayak fishing tournament(s) ever held and before it’s all said and
done, will be possibly the largest kayak fishing tournament regardless of water
type. The venue is a 100 mile area of the Santee Cooper chain of lakes and is centered
in Cross, South Carolina. Black’s Fish Camp will be the host site (1370 Black’s
Camp Rd. Cross, SC, 29436) and cater to up to 300 anglers. Not all entrants
will stay at Black’s though many of the festivities will be centered there.

The KBF Open is the last qualifier for the KBF Invitational
which starts on March 16th at a different, private water venue
nearby. Both the Open and the Invitational have $100 entry fees with
approximately 80% of that paying top finishers. The remaining 20% will go to
fund future events and charitable contributions to groups like Heroes on the
Water, a group that works with disabled service men and women through kayak
fishing across the country.

The Open will be a two day event. Day 1 starts at 30 minutes
before sunrise and ends at 4:30PM. Standings after Day 1 will be determined by
a Catch-Photograph-Release (CPR) format of each angler’s best two fish. The Day
1 leader will get an automatic bid into the KBF Invitational and continue on to
fish Day 2 where they will be joined by the other 100 top finishers (depending
on ties) for that day. At the start of Day 2, all previous catches are erased
and all anglers start at zero. Starting again at 30 minutes before sunrise, Day
2 goes until 5:30PM. The winner of Day 2 (also a CPR format) will win the Open
and proceed with the top 10-15 anglers to the Invitational the next day. It is
estimated that the top 20 anglers of Day 2 will receive a check though payout
is based on percentages and number of entries. For all the official rules of
both the Open and Invitational please visit www.kayakbassfishing.com or find
Kayak Bass Fishing Open or Kayak Bass Fishing Invitational on Facebook.

The KBF Invitational will also be a two day event but will
be held in Summerville, South Carolina at the private waters of VIP Adventures.
These waters hold trophy bass and will up the stakes for the grand prize. The
champion after two days will receive an estimated $8,000 in prize money, a new
Wilderness Systems kayak, a new Bending Branches paddle, a $250 gift
certificate to HOOK1 and many other prizes.

Being known as the Grand Champion of the Kayak Bass Fishing
Invitational is in the hopes and dreams of many as anglers from Texas, New
Jersey and other far away locales are planning caravans and overnight trips to
make sure they have a chance to be crowned champion. With one of the most
illustrious payouts ever in freshwater kayaking, it’s no wonder so many are
cashing in a week of vacation and a year’s worth of kitchen passes to make the
journey. It will be a memory none will soon forget.

Every year it happens. For the last decade that I have been around kayak fishing, Christmas brings a great new flood of people to the sport I love. Thousands of new anglers, looking for a way to get on the water or maybe a different way to get on the water, ask for and receive a kayak for Christmas.

Often times these gifted kayaks are not the $2,000 super decked out angler editions. They are sit-in or sit-on kayaks purchased at major chain stores. You know what? And hear me say this: THAT IS JUST FINE!

You don't need to have a BMW 7 Series car to drive on the highway and you don't need the Hobie Pro Angler 14 to get on the water. Would it be nice? Dang skippy. Is it necessary? Not even close.

I fished my first six, almost seven years out of a $200 sit in kayak from Academy Sports and Outdoors. And it was great. I fished differently then than I do now but every kayak owner fishes a little differently and some of that comes from the type of kayak they fish from. The important things to remember are safety, time on the water and customization to fit your needs.

These throngs of people often find their way to kayak forums and ask the same questions. That is when they get a good taste of what our sport is about. Sharing. More specifically, sharing information.

The questions typically revolve around accessories, where to try, and what is all this I hear about tipping over?

Today, I want to give you some of what I have learned both from the school of hard knocks and by others in the sport who have mentored me.

So I got a new kayak:

What accessories do I need?

MTI Dio F-Spec

PFD (Life Jacket)- Most people go straight for the paddle. The only reason I recommend a PFD first is safety. If you blow all of your money on a fancy paddle and end up paddling in an $8 PFD that fits like an albatross, you won't be paddling for long. Choose a good PFD and always wear it. Check out the NRS, MTI and Stohlquist PFDs. I also recommend a knife and a whistle to attach to the PFD so you can call for help or cut your way out of a tangle or hung anchor. If you are going to paddle at night, get a 360 degree light. The YakAttack Visicarbon Pro with Flag is a popular choice amongst kayakers everywhere.The PFD and whistle are legal requirements in Texas. The light is also if you are out at night.

Paddle- This is your motor. Use this paddle guide and find the right one for you. If you only have two upgrade things you can buy, they need to be a good PFD and a paddle. That seems like a no-brainer but lots of people skimp on the first and sell their kayak shortly after from non-use.

Park-N-Pole in a Trolley

Anchor Trolley- It seems strange to buy this before an anchor but believe me when I say you will be much happier if you do. An anchor trolley allows you to use a drift sock, stake out stick and anchor while positioning yourself to take advantage of the wind, not be a victim of it. This also will allow for a quick release if you get into trouble. This is the one I use. Inexpensive and easy to install.

Anchor- This is the most widely underpurchased item under $50. Anchors exist in all shapes and sizes. The most popular one is the collapsible anchor. If you are going to be in water eight feet deep or less, I suggest a YakAttack Park-N_Pole. It can double as a push pole, GoPro camera pole and many other things. Very versatile and it floats. It comes in three different lengths to fit exactly what your needs are.

Anchor Rope (and accessories)- Most anchors don't come with rope. If you are going to be fishing in any current or wind at all most people will recommend 2X the length of rope for the depth you are fishing. So if your fish are in 20 feet of water, you need at least 40 feet of rope. If you are fishing on the coast it is recommended 3X the depth. I like 3/16" rope but choose what you like. Just don't buy 1/16" rope and expect to raise a big anchor easily. While you are there in the rope section, pick up a carabiner and rope float to attach to these as well.

Rod Holders- These come in different varieties. You can get flush mount, rocket launchers, trolling rod holders for baitcasters and spinning, rail mount, and the list goes on and on. Look at some rigging pictures, sit in your boat, see where you can reach and then go buy one.

YakAttack BlackPak

Milk Crate- You can buy one or ask a retail grocer for one. Either way, you can strap this down to the back of most kayaks and hold tons of tackle and gear. You can also add some PVC to be additional rod holders. Cheapest investment you'll love forever. Eventually you may want to upgrade to a YakAttack BlackPak. This is the king of all packs to haul gear and hold rods.

Everything Else-These things will get you going pretty well. After you have the above mentioned items, you should look at, in no particular order: a fish finder, stabilizers (depending on the kayak), drift sock, stake out stick, VHF handheld radio, scupper plugs (for sit on tops), waders, paddle gloves, really the list goes on and on.

Your fishing adventure is just that. Add things as you can and see what others are doing. Go to get togethers. Visit kayak shops like HOOK1 if you are in Tennessee or Mariner-Sails if you are in Texas. Talk to guys who have years or even decades on the water. Talk to the new guys. See what's new, what's a need, what's a want and go for it. And if you buy something that doesn't work out, there is always the buy-sell-trade forums. Most of all, have fun and catch some fish!